Posted: January 21, 2007

Athletics: Webb Rolls To Victory At The Armory

From David Monti © 2006 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com NEW YORK (20-Jan) -- Six years to the day since Alan Webb became the fastest-ever U.S. high school miler here, he set a career indoor best for the distance, rolling to victory in a special invitational mile held during a massive high school meet at the New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armory. Webb, who turned 24 last week, won his first race ever in New York City, holding off Eliud Njubi, a Kenyan who runs for the Westchester Track Club, 3:56.70 to 3:58.64. "I didn't realize that I'd never won a race in New York," said a smiling Webb speaking to reporters after the race. "It's all theoretical," said Webb of how the race was mapped out on paper the night before. "They did the best they could," he added. After five of the eight laps, Miller and Towle stepped off the track leaving Webb and Njubi to fight it out for the win. Njubi, a former star with Texas Christian University, stayed right behind Webb, never letting the American get more than a step or two ahead of him. "Eliud was right there," Webb recounted. "He was ready to pounce." The two were very close at the bell, but the Kenyan lost ground on the final lap. Webb clipped off a 28.1 second final 200m, sealing the win, his second of this very young indoor season. "Every race is a little different, but the main goal every time is to set a personal best and win the race," Webb explained. This will not be Webb's final indoor appearance in New York this year. After running the mile at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games next Saturday, he will return here to race against a stacked field in the Wanamaker Mile at the 100th Millrose Games. Wanamaker winners includes such legends as Eamonn Coghlan, Glenn Cunningham, Marcus O'Sullivan and Marty Liquori, and this year's event will feature four-time Wanamaker champion, Bernard Lagat of Tucson, Ariz., and 2005 World Championships bronze medalist, Craig Mottram of Australia. Webb would definitely like to have his name added to the Wanamaker roster of winners, despite showing no love for the quirky 145.5m track at Madison Square Garden. "It would be pretty special," Webb said seriously. "Every year it's on the list of races I want to do." Webb confirmed that he and coach Scott Raczko had recommitted his program to focus on the 1500m and the mile this year after working on building his strength through cross country running and longer distances last year. He said that the strength he built over the last two seasons will make him a better miler, an event he dominated at the prep level mostly because of his ability to sprint at the end. "I was a closer," said Webb. "Now it's time to see how much speed I have in me." Mary Cullen of Ireland won the invitational women's mile, upsetting Carmen Douma-Hussar of Canada who finished third. Cullen was running behind Douma-Hussar until she stepped to the lead with a lap to go. "I had advice from my coach (Ray Treacy), to stay in from the 800m to the 'K,'" said Cullen who was the NCAA 5000m champion for Providence College last June. "I'm not really a miler," she added. "I thought they'd go by me." Cullen held the lead to finish in 4:32.29, a personal best indoors or out, with American Sara Hall beating Douma-Hussar at the line, 4:32.68 to 4:32.78. "The last 20 meters my wheels fell off," said Douma-Hussar, who tasted victory in New York at the 2005 Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile. "I knew Mary is strong. You never know in a race like that when it goes out slow." Comment on this story. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest

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